Improvement in car-couplings



E R. QUIMBY.--

Car Coupling.

No. 202,117. Patented Aprfil 9,1878.

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N PETERS, PHoTdLITHoGRAPMim. WASHINGTOH. o cy UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIoE.

ENOCH R. QUIMBY, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALE HIS RIGHT TO OOTAVUS O. MASON, OF STERLING, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN CAR-couPLINes.A

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 202, l 17, dated April 9, 1878 application filed February i9, 187B.

end ofthe sliding head, the movements of the latter in either direction being limited in extent by suitable stops, and a link and keeper being combined with the draw-bar and head,

and operating as hereinafter described.

The drawings accompanying this specification represent, in Figure 1, a longitudinal section, and in Fig. 2 a cross-section, of the forward part of the draw-bar and the bunterhead of a railway-car. Fig. 3 is a section of the latch which governs the elevation or altitude of the draw-bar. Figs. 4 and 5 are horizontal and longitudinal sections of the device.

.In the above-named drawings, A may be supposed to represent a portion of the iiooring of a railway freight-car, and B a portion of the front end of such car, while C represents its draw-bar, and B the bunter-head of the latter, the link-chamber, which is comprised in part in the draw-bar and in` part in the bunter-head, but mainly in the latter, being shown at E. A l

The coupling-pin is shown at F as adapted to extend vertically through the top and botf tom of the bunter-head by a hole or passage, a, such pin, when lowered and in a position to intercept and retain the coupling-link G, extending across the link chamber, and through the bottom of the latter, as shown in Fig. 1 ofthe drawings; but when raised up v to admit of removal of the link in the act of uncoupling a car, the said pin is steadied in an extension or bearing, b,which is erected upon the upper front part of the bunter-head, and through which the hole a passes, while the lower end of the pin at this timerests upon the top of the forward end of the drawbHJI'. C,

The bunter-head B is hollow throughout,

and incloses and slides upon the front end of the draw-bar, the latter being formed with top and bottom plates c d only, which practically the rear side of a cross-bar, g, affixed to the rear part of the bunter-head, and serves to force the two apart-that is to say, to tend to crowd the bunter-head forward away from the draw-bar, the limit of the sliding movement between the two being governed by a stop upon one playing in a slot of the other.

I/Vhen the pin is out of the link-chamber and the -coupling uncoupled, the bunter is crowded forward by the extension of the spring e, and the bottom of thev pin' rests upon the top plate c of the draw-bar; but when the link is within the chamber, and the pin intercepts the two, such pin passes through holes h h made in the plate c d, the holes h It, under this condition of things, coinciding with the holes c a in the bunter-head, and the whole constitutingone common passage for thepin. Y

A ledge, t', is erected upon the upper surface of the lower plate d of the draw-bar, and serves as Va stop to farther entrance of the link G rearward of its chamber. l

H in the drawings represents a heavy block of metal, disposed within the upper part of the link-chamber, and pivotedat its upper front corner,by a pivot, lc, to the adjacent part of such chamber, and in such manner that its rear end, which rests upon the top of the ledge t', is free to rise and fall, in order that when in its lowest position it shall rest upon the link G and maintain the latter in a level position, and when elevated permit of removal of the link.

The upper surface of the ledge i slopes away at rear, as shown at j, to form an inclined plane, by which the rear end of the block G, which I term a keeper,V is raised and low;

ered as the bunter-head slides backward or forward upon the draw-bar. l

The operation of this coupling is as follows: Taking the position of parts shown in Fig. 5

of the drawings, in which the link-chamber is empty, the bunter-head in its extreme forward position, and the pin F resting`upon the top of the draw-bar or its plate c, while the tail of the block H rests upon the highest point of the lrdge fi, and is thereby raised above the lower part of the link-chamber, to permit of entrance of the link, we will suppose the bunter-head of another car to be approaching the head B', and the link of such approaching car to be locked in position, as show-n in Fig. l of the drawings. The advanced end of the approaching link enters the link-chamber E until it nearly arrives at the ledge while simultaneously therewith the front end of the approaching bunter-head strikes the front end of the head B and pushes the latter back upon the drawbar C until the holes a h coincide and the pin F drops into them, and this locks the two bunter-heads and draw-bars together, it being observed that as the bunter B' reaches its extreme rearward position the link G brings up against the ledge Z, or nearly so; and also that during the rearward movement of the said bunter-head upon the drawbar the tail of the block H descends the ini clined plane j, and the block drops upon the rear end of the link G, as shown in Fig. l, and serves to maintain the latter in a level position, should the opposite bunter-head be uncoupled and drawn away.

When it is desired to uncouple, the brakeman raises the pin F, by a chain attached to its upper end, until it is raised above the plate c of the draw-bar, when the springe, acting upon the bar g, throws the bunter-head B forward, and, the block H being also carried forward by such head B', rises the inclined plane j, and leaves the link G free to escape from the link-chamber.

The block H, while serving to maintain the link G in a level plane to properly present it to the approaching bunter, also permits of freedom of movement of the outer end of the link in any direction at the hands of the brakeman, thereby enabling the said brakeman to raise or lower the outer end of the link, to provide for slight changes in the height of the two approaching bunters, while the yoke J provides for great change in such height.

A minor feature of my invention consists in a means of raising or lowering the draw-bar and bunter-head with respect to the body of the car, in order to present the link of one car on a level plane with the link-chamber of an approaching car; and to this end I employ a horizontal latch, I, pivoted at about its center, by a horizontal shaft, Z, to the front B of the car, and over the draw-bar, and within this latch, which is hollow or tubular, I dispose a sliding bolt, m, the nose n of such bolt protruding beyond the adjacent end of the latch, and engaging a rack, o, of teeth, affixed to the front B of the car, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

The bolt is operated by a handle, p, hinged to the end of the latch opposite the toothed rack o, such handle being connected to the bolt by a wire'link, q, or in any suitable manner, in order that by' closing such handle upon the body of the latch the bolt shall be withdrawn and disengaged from the rack, and when the handle is released the bolt shall be shot by the action of a spring, t, and engage such teeth.

J in the drawings represents a rectangular frame or yoke, the upper part of which slides within the front B ot' the car-body, and the lower part encompasses and sustains the weight ofthe front end of the draw-bar and of the bunter-head, and the yoke is raised and lowered by means of a chain, 1, one end of which is secured to the upper bar of the yoke and the other end to a wiudlass or pulley, s,- carried by the shaft Z.

By means of the latch I, operating through the yoke J and chain r, the elevation or depression of the draw-bar is effected, while by means of the bolt m and rack o the draw-bar is held at the desired altitude.

To more easily operate the latch I and overcome the weight of the drawbar and bunterhead, a compound lever may be applied to the front B of the car, and operating upon the latch; butin practice this will probably be unnecessary. l

Having thus explained the nature and operation of my invention, I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, the following l. The sloping ledge t', in combination with the bunter-head B' and keeper H, as constituting a stop to limit the entrance of the link, and an inclined plane to raise and lower the rear end of the keeper H, substantially as and for purposes stated.

2. The keeper or block H, in combination with the sliding bunter-head B and forked draw-barC, and operating with the inclined ledge i in such manner that when the head B is forced rearward upon the draw-bar such keeper shall descend upon the link, and when the head slides forward upon the draw-bar the keeper rises from off the link, substantially as and for purposes stated. i

3. As a means of raising or lowering the draw-bar and bunter-head, the yoke J and latch I, the latch being supported by the shaft Z and provided with the bolt m, to engage the rack o, and the yoke supported and operated by the chain r, attached to it and stated. i ENOGH R. QUIMBY. Witnesses:

E. J. HovEY,

M'. J. QUIMBY, F. CURTIS. 

